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Water Work

The Portuguese Water Dog, past and present, is a working breed. As a contributing crew member on Portuguese fishing vessels, tasks that were attributed to the breed included retrieving overboard objects, carrying messages, swimming fishing floats into place and guarding the boats, nets and catch when in port. The regular and successful completion of these tasks required teamwork between dog and owner, efficiency in accomplishing the work of the day, natural willingness and the intelligence to adapt routines to changing conditions.

The Portuguese Water Dog today exhibits eagerness, intensity and strong swimming and retrieving abilities. In order to preserve these qualities and maintain for the future the breed's natural instincts, the PWDCA has designed a series of water work exercises which reflect the historical working background of the Portuguese Water Dog. These exercises consist of two aspects: the dog's ability to perform a task and its willingness to do so on command.

The PWDCA water trial program is the beginning of another chapter in the history of the Portuguese Water Dog as it provides a context in which to record our present efforts to preserve the past and insure the future of this noble working water dog.